How to Set Up a Core Keeper Dedicated Server

Core Keeper's underground mining and boss-fighting adventure is best experienced with friends on a persistent server. A dedicated server lets your world stay online so players can mine, farm, and explore whenever they want. This guide covers setup, world configuration, and keeping your server running smoothly.

What You'll Need

• Core Keeper on Steam — Every player needs the game.
• A hosting plan or spare PC — Managed hosting starts at $3-5/month. Core Keeper is very lightweight.
• Your world plan — Fresh start or upload an existing save? Decide before setup.

Step 1: Choose Your Hosting Approach

Managed Hosting (Recommended)

Core Keeper is one of the lightest games to host. Managed providers like Shockbyte, Sparked Host, and Apex Hosting offer:

• 1-2GB RAM — More than enough for Core Keeper
• Simple control panels — Start playing in minutes
• Automatic updates — Stay current with new content patches
• Always online — Your world runs 24/7

Self-Hosted

Install Core Keeper Dedicated Server via Steam (App ID 1963720) or SteamCMD (app_update 1963720). Forward port 27015 (UDP). Runs on Windows and Linux.

Step 2: Set Up on a Managed Host

1. Purchase a plan — 1-2GB RAM handles the max player count comfortably.
2. Select Core Keeper as your game.
3. Note your Game ID — Players need this to connect (displayed in the server console on startup).
4. Configure basic settings in the control panel.
5. Share the Game ID with friends. They enter it in Core Keeper's "Join Game" menu.

Step 3: Configure ServerConfig.json

The main configuration file:

{
  "gameId": "",
  "maxPlayers": 8,
  "season": -1,
  "world": 0,
  "password": "",
  "serverName": "My Core Keeper Server"
}

Key Settings

| Setting | Default | Description | |---|---|---| | gameId | auto-generated | Unique ID players use to connect | | maxPlayers | 8 | Maximum concurrent players | | season | -1 | Seasonal event (-1 = current season) | | world | 0 | World save slot index | | password | "" | Server password (empty = no password) |

Step 4: Launch and Connect

Finding Your Game ID

When the server starts, it outputs a Game ID in the console log:

Game ID: XXXXXXXXXXXX

Share this ID with your players. They connect by:

1. Opening Core Keeper and selecting Join Game.
2. Entering the Game ID.
3. Entering the server password (if set).

Alternative: Steam Direct Connect

Some hosting panels also support connecting via IP:Port. Check your host's documentation for this option.

Step 5: World Management

Uploading an Existing Save

If you want to continue a local world on your dedicated server:

1. Find your local saves in %APPDATA%\..\LocalLow\Pugstorm\Core Keeper\Steam\[SteamID]\.
2. Upload the save folder to your server's world directory via FTP/SFTP.
3. Set the correct world index in ServerConfig.json.
4. Restart the server.

Backups

Core Keeper worlds grow as players explore. Set up regular backups:

• Most managed hosts offer automatic backup schedules
• Manual backups: copy the world save folder before major boss fights
• Keep at least 3 backup copies in case of world corruption

Step 6: Server Administration

Core Keeper's admin tools are straightforward:

In-Game Commands

Admins can use the chat console for basic management. Admin status is typically configured through the hosting panel or config files.

Player Management

• Set a server password to control access
• Share the Game ID only with trusted players
• Monitor player count through your hosting control panel

Performance Monitoring

Core Keeper is very lightweight, but watch for:

• World size growth — Explored chunks increase save file size and memory usage
• Entity count — Large farms with many crops and animals add up
• Boss arenas — Complex arenas with many entities can cause brief lag spikes

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Players can't connect with Game ID:

• Verify the server is fully started and the Game ID is displayed in the console.
• Check that the Game ID is entered correctly (case-sensitive).
• Restart the server to generate a new Game ID if the current one isn't working.

Server crashes on startup:

• Verify the save file isn't corrupted. Try starting with a fresh world.
• Check that the server has enough RAM (1GB minimum).
• Ensure the server is running the latest version.

World not saving progress:

• Check disk space on the server.
• Verify the server shuts down gracefully (don't force-kill the process).
• Some hosts require manual save triggers — check your control panel.

Lag spikes during gameplay:

• Usually caused by autosaving on large worlds.
• Reduce the number of active entities (harvest mature crops, limit animal counts).
• Ensure the server has sufficient RAM allocated.

Next Steps

• Coordinate boss fights — Schedule times when all players are online for major bosses.
• Set up a Discord for your group to share discoveries and coordinate mining expeditions.
• Plan base layouts — Designate areas for farming, crafting, and storage.
• Back up before updates — Game updates occasionally change world generation.

Core Keeper is one of the most affordable games to host. Providers like Shockbyte and Sparked Host offer servers for just a few dollars a month, making it easy to keep your underground adventure running around the clock.